Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Welcome Back.

"We'll see you in the Palace June." Jayden waved goodbye to me.

Today is the day we will return to the Empire. We already said goodbye to our classmates and teachers.

"Yeah see you there Jayden." Art and Gray is going with Alistair. I don"t know why but they said they wanted to go to the Empire immediately. They didn"t even went home. Al just let them go.

"Bruh I can't believe we're gonna start calling them Prince and Princess again." Art complained.

"Why? What"s wrong with that? " Gray asked.

"Its cinrgey." Art answered. Gray glared at him like he said something worng. Art just kept quiet.

"Art mind your attitude when we're in the Empire." –Jayden.

"Yeah you might get punished, school is different from the empire." - Jasper.

"So you wont wave goodbye to Brea-

"Shut the fvk up Art. Besides, I"ll see her again. "

We went to our own carriages. I waved ggodbye to all of them. Many things have changed, my friendship with Al is stronger than before. I have new friends I can rely on and have a guardian dragon with me.

The dragon doesn't appear much in public, they are probably shy. The school didn"t question any of our dragons, they said we"re lucky that we didn"t die and have some new guardians. They don't seem to know much about yin-yang dragons since its from one of the dangerous islands.

"Hayyyy, can't wait to meet Maddy." Maddy didn"t contact me, weird. She usually send me some letters in my previous life, is she busy?

I slowly fell asleep when the carriage starts moving, yeah I need some nap.

******
"Hello, Princess June. Welcome back. " I immediately hugged Maddy.

"I missed you." She caressed my hair.

"Let's go and get some rest." She smiled, and helped some guards carrying my things. Weird, she didn"t- nevermind.

I ran towards my room, maids are greeting me and I just greeted back. They seem surprise because I did that, oh damn I forgot that we shouldn"t greet servants here. when I got to my room I lay down on my bed.

WWWAAAH ~ I missed the fwuffy bed and fwwuuffyy pillows. I rolled around my bed and inhale all the smell in my room, I missed my room. I got up again and went to my terrace, memories are overflowing again.

The garden where we always play. What will happen now that the future has changed? But Pensyvia said that my destiny won"t change because that"s what happened in the past. I was so bitten by the lip.

We cant let our guards down, if I managed to protect the King and prevent him from dying then maybe machechange is really the future. We"re not sure yet, Pensyvia said to follow my heart. Follow?

Yang came out since my tattoo is glowing. He's on my lap.

"Hey Yang, what should I do? I still have feelings for him, it never fades away even though I said I wouldn't really chase him anymore. Should I follow my heart? Or should I follow my brain? I don"t know which path I"ll take yet. " I sighed as I told my dragon.

He also immediately returned to where he came from, wow he really won't listen to my rants?

I need to get this off my head somehow. Go to the cabinet to find my book- what"s this? A letter? Since when did I receive any letter?

The sender has no name

‘Don"t trust anyone."

I frowned, they used a whole paper and only wrote this 3 words? Their savings ha. Also, what does this mean? I didn"t see this before. I should probably ask MAddy-

"Princess, sorry for disturbing but the King is asking for your presence." –Maddy said while bowing.

"The King?"

I immediately stood up and bit my nail. Shoot, I'll just get summoned right away. Did I do something wrong to upset his highness?

"W-why?" I asked, Maddy gave me a questionable look.

"Princess, you forgot your etiquette. Princesses don"t ask questions when called by the King. " Maddy politely said. Oh fuck I forgot that.

"I-I mean I'll go get ready." I whispered, he just nodded and left.

Why am I nervous? I can't be bothered, ok ok I need to breathe in and breathe out. I need to get ready. I grabbed a dress and dressed up myself. Dang it, it"s been so long since I wore some dresses. Uncomfortable as heck.

I went out and saw a few maids outside, Maddy is also outside waiting for me. I went inside the carriage and arrived at the empire.

I saw a few princesses there too, wait. What"s going on? They are the candidates of the Queen candidate.

"Hello Princess!" someone greeted me, I just smiled and waved at them.

I saw Demitry at the distance too, when she saw me she immediately went to me and held both of my hands.

"Princess! Thank God! They told me you quitted the competition! " oh

"Uh I did? Why? " his two eyes widened.

"W-wait really-" she was nervous

"Also what are you doing in the Empire?" I asked him. Seriously they are well dressed right now like there"s a ball going on.

"Th-the king asked us to greet the prince's arrival." She whispered, someone called me to go to the king. She just nodded and waved at me. I have entered where the king is.

"Greetings to the King of the Gem Empire." I greeted the king while bowing.

"Aaaahh ~ Astraea my child!" he got up and hugged me. "Have a seat."

I immediately obeyed what he said. He looks the same and acts the same.

"Well how are you?" he asked me while smiling.

"I'm fine your highness." I answer.

"Well I'm so sorry to call you here but I have a request." He said simultaneously holding my shoulder. "Child, my birthday is coming up. The competition is also close. "

I nodded at what he said.

"Yes-

"Can you still fill up the first seat as my birthday gift?" I enlarged his eyes, what now? "I mean, we don"t have any replacement and the competition will start soon. I hope you will accept for my sake, child. "

I gulped…

"Don"t worry, it"s ok if you don"t do your best. We just need someone to fill-up the first seat. " I stopped and thought. There"s no way Alistair"s gonna choose me even if I"m still include in the competition. "Also in exchange, you will be the head knight of the Prince. Is that a good deal? "

My eyes began to sparkle. This is a good offer, since I know Al won"t choose me so I"m not gonna be the Queen plus I can protect the King up close on his birthday.

"I accept your majesty." I said.

"Thank you, child. Maybe he will choose you in the competition, yeah? " he joked and I laughed.

"That"s too good to be true your majesty, I; m sure that wont happen. Also the offer was good, I can"t refuse to such an opportunity like that. " I said.

"That is all, child. You may go and get some rest. " I nodded and bowed to him and left.

*****
"I did what you said, son."

"Thank you. I will do my best. "

I don"t know but the party is in 2 days which mean I have to get on duty tomorrow. I haven"t seen Gray, Art, Al, Jasper and Jayden yet.

I already have my uniform, Maddy already washed it for me.

"Princess, it's time for dinner." She said while putting the tray on my table.

"Maddy, do you know where these letters came from?" I said once out of the letter I had been reading and observing. She looked at me and shook her head.

"I"m sorry princess but no, no one entered your room when you left. What does the letter say? " I just shrugged, and didn"t answer. I swear the handwriting was familiar.

I have eaten and slept, I have a duty tomorrow.

*******************
"Good morning Princess." I nodded to the one who greeted me. Some knights greeted me too, but they kept calling me princess since we are not official because the King will do that. It will probably happen tomorrow since it's his birthday.

I already wore my uniform, yeah it"s comfortable as heck than I would dress.

"J-June." I turned to call me, I bowed and he did.

"Greetings to the Prince of the Gem Empire." I greeted him.

"Wh-why are you talking like that?" I tited my head and gave him a questionable look.

"We"re inside the Prince Al empire. I would not disrespect the prince. " I answer with him. He sighed and crossed his arms.

"Never mind. Would you like to go on a date with me? " I was almost drenched in my own saliva at what Al said. what is he talking now?

"A friendly date-

"No."

I have a very scratchy head.

"What do you mean? Prince Al you"re acting weird. Are you sick? " I asked him, I saw him look away and I can see his ears getting red. Is he really ok?

"I-I want you t-to be my Queen, again." WHAT ?! "I promise-

"No, Prince Al I already said I will not be the queen of the empire. That"s hard work, I cant do it on my own. Like you said before I am not suitable for that position so that is why I backed out. " I said to him, I could hear him sigh again and again.

I'm about to leave in case he touches me again, what is he doing? This isn"t like him. He won"t beg or grab my hands. I thought he"s ok just being friends, I already accepted being his friend since my previous life.

"I didn"t mean it, I-I will do my best to help you I promise. Just be my wife. " He whispered. What? Am I hearing this right? Or am I dreaming ?! Al asking me to be his wife and Queen?

"Look, I have a little respect for Al. I"m trying my best not to love you because you said you don"t like or love me. " He immediately looked at me and his eyes were sparkling, wait what I said again.

"S-so you still love me?" his voice was hopeful. "If not then I will do my best to get you to love me again. I will be the one to sue. Just say I have a chance. "

Shit, I wanted to refuse too but I remembered Pensyvia said. If I became the Queen, will something change? If I defeat Seraphina- he said he didn"t like Seraphina when he saw her. Do I have a chance? He didn"t say he like or love me, I"m having doubts.

"Admit it Al, do you like me? You"ve been saying those stuffs, what are you really saying? " I have no emotional question. His been saying all this for what? For me to chase sha again? Does he really want me to get hurt?

"No."

"Then it"s settled, don"t ask me to chase you again because I won"t-

"I love you, be my wife and I will make you my Queen forever. I"m begging you. "

I could feel something in my stomach. "What? Al you can"t just say something that like that. I already backed out from the competition which means I am no longer involved. I"m pretty sure you"re talking nonsense right now. " I told him. "But father said you"re still on the competition. Even if you don't do anything, I will still choose you and you. " I could feel myself getting red right now. "That's unfair." "I don"t care, I really regret doing and saying those things to you before. I thought you would stay by my side even if I did and I told you that. " He bent down and tightened his grip on my hand. "I know you said you will find someone who will be your king, and I won"t allow it. J-just let me make up for those things I"ve done to you. " Today I just realized in this timeline, He"s different than in my previous timeline. Should I tell him what happened? No. let"s wait for the right time. I am feeling so much emotions right now. Should I be glad that he loved me too? "Please- "Give me time." I just said, he won't probably stop if I keep refusing. Also I liked him doing something like this. His eyes are filled with happiness, I can tell because his eyes are shining. "Thank you, I promise I will do my best." Those promises again, fine. I"ll trust it this time. I immediately remembered that I did my best to get his attention, I think its paying off but not in this life. "This is going to be your second and last chance, if you blow it up. It"s done. " I said while smiling weakly. Our tattoos began glowing, for some reason it made me feel better. "Yes- "I AM BLEEDING EVERYWHERE!" I heard Art shouted form the distance, he was with Jayden and Jasper. They were coming with us when they saw us. "PRINCESS! PRINCE! HELP MEEEE. " "You were just hit by arrows, you're fine." Jayden answered, I would have let go of Al's hand in case he tightened his grip even more. "Goddamn it Jasper, why didn't you say that Jayden doesn't know how to shoot ?! And you just let me be her hitting board ?! " Art exclaimed, he was bleeding in his left arm. "Well I don't want to get hurt either, why not?" Jasper shrugged. "I hate you- oh are you two dating?" Art suddenly changed the topic when he saw Al holding my hand. "None of your business." Al replied. "Hmp damot. Oh btw, Ju- I mean Princess June. The king said we are partners. " Al raised an eyebrow at him. "Partner san?" –Al "In the position, I don't know, I'm not a knight. But at least my partner is June and we can be alone- "Fuck you Art." I just got hit in the head. "No thanks, I'm not into guys." I just held Al so he wouldn't punch Art. "Oh great you're all here." napatingin naman kami sa nagsalita, it was Gray he was carrying some sort of documents. "The party is going to be tomorrow night. Wear dresses and suits, even if the king rewards us, we need to be presentable. " We all nodded. "I should go." Jayden leaves first, is he avoiding Gray? This has been on since last week when we left school. "So about the party, will all the Queen Candidate's candidates go?" Art asked. "Yeah, I mean they're here. They are invited by the King. " To be continued...